diff --git a/tests/a11y/README.md b/tests/a11y/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a63a62d7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/a11y/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+## Accessibility Test Suite (`tests/a11y`)
+
+### Purpose and Scope
+
+This suite checks key Charon pages for accessibility issues using Playwright and axe.
+It is focused on page-level smoke coverage so we can catch major accessibility regressions early.
+
+### Run Locally
+
+Run a quick single-browser check:
+
+```bash
+npx playwright test tests/a11y/ --project=firefox
+```
+
+Run the full cross-browser matrix:
+
+```bash
+npx playwright test tests/a11y/ --project=chromium --project=firefox --project=webkit
+```
+
+### CI Execution
+
+In CI, this suite runs in the non-security shard jobs of the E2E split workflow:
+
+- Workflow: `.github/workflows/e2e-tests-split.yml`
+- Jobs: non-security shard jobs for Chromium, Firefox, and WebKit
+- Behavior: `tests/a11y` is included in the Playwright test paths and distributed by `--shard`
+
+### Add a New Page Accessibility Test
+
+1. Create or update a spec in `tests/a11y/`.
+2. Import the accessibility fixture from `../fixtures/a11y`.
+3. Use wait helpers (for example from `../utils/wait-helpers`) before running axe so page state is stable.
+4. Attach scan results with `test.info().attach(...)` for report debugging.
+5. Filter known accepted baseline items using `getBaselinedRuleIds('<page-path>')`.
+6. Assert with `expectNoA11yViolations`.
+
+Minimal pattern:
+
+```ts
+import { test } from '../fixtures/a11y';
+import { waitForLoadingComplete } from '../utils/wait-helpers';
+import { expectNoA11yViolations } from '../utils/a11y-helpers';
+import { getBaselinedRuleIds } from './a11y-baseline';
+
+test('example page has no critical a11y violations', async ({ page, makeAxeBuilder }) => {
+  await page.goto('/example');
+  await waitForLoadingComplete(page);
+
+  const results = await makeAxeBuilder().analyze();
+
+  test.info().attach('a11y-results', {
+    body: JSON.stringify(results.violations, null, 2),
+    contentType: 'application/json',
+  });
+
+  expectNoA11yViolations(results, {
+    knownViolations: getBaselinedRuleIds('/example'),
+  });
+});
+```
+
+### Baseline Policy
+
+Baseline entries are allowed only for known and accepted issues with clear rationale and a tracking ticket.
+
+- Add a clear `reason` and a `ticket` reference.
+- Add `expiresAt` so each baseline is reviewed periodically.
+- Remove the baseline entry as soon as the underlying issue is fixed.
+
+### Failure Semantics
+
+- `critical` and `serious` violations fail the test.
+- `moderate` and `minor` violations are reported in attached output and do not fail by default.
+
+### Troubleshooting Timeout Flakes
+
+Intermittent timeout flakes can happen, especially on Firefox.
+
+Recommended rerun strategy:
+
+1. Rerun the same failed spec once in Firefox.
+2. If it passes on rerun, treat it as a transient flake and continue.
+3. If it fails again, run the full a11y suite in Firefox.
+4. If still failing, run all three browsers and inspect `a11y-results` attachments.
+
+Useful commands:
+
+```bash
+# Rerun one spec in Firefox
+npx playwright test tests/a11y/<spec-file>.spec.ts --project=firefox
+
+# Rerun full a11y suite in Firefox
+npx playwright test tests/a11y/ --project=firefox
+
+# Rerun full a11y suite in all browsers
+npx playwright test tests/a11y/ --project=chromium --project=firefox --project=webkit
+```
diff --git a/tests/a11y/a11y-baseline.ts b/tests/a11y/a11y-baseline.ts
index 804deac7..0ceb67bd 100644
--- a/tests/a11y/a11y-baseline.ts
+++ b/tests/a11y/a11y-baseline.ts
@@ -12,30 +12,35 @@ export const A11Y_BASELINE: BaselineEntry[] = [
     pages: ['/'],
     reason: 'Tailwind blue-500 buttons (#3b82f6) have 3.67:1 contrast with white text; requires design system update',
     ticket: '#929',
+    expiresAt: '2026-07-31',
   },
   {
     ruleId: 'label',
     pages: ['/settings/users', '/security', '/tasks/backups', '/tasks/import/caddyfile', '/tasks/import/crowdsec'],
     reason: 'Form inputs missing associated labels; requires frontend component fixes',
     ticket: '#929',
+    expiresAt: '2026-07-31',
   },
   {
     ruleId: 'button-name',
     pages: ['/settings', '/security/headers'],
     reason: 'Icon-only buttons missing accessible names; requires aria-label additions',
     ticket: '#929',
+    expiresAt: '2026-07-31',
   },
   {
     ruleId: 'select-name',
     pages: ['/tasks/logs'],
     reason: 'Select element missing associated label',
     ticket: '#929',
+    expiresAt: '2026-07-31',
   },
   {
     ruleId: 'scrollable-region-focusable',
     pages: ['/tasks/logs'],
     reason: 'Log output container is scrollable but not keyboard-focusable',
     ticket: '#929',
+    expiresAt: '2026-07-31',
   },
 ];
 
diff --git a/tests/a11y/dns-providers.a11y.spec.ts b/tests/a11y/dns-providers.a11y.spec.ts
index 0f59e677..1e218a38 100644
--- a/tests/a11y/dns-providers.a11y.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/a11y/dns-providers.a11y.spec.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,14 @@ test.describe('Accessibility: DNS Providers', () => {
     await test.step('Navigate to DNS providers', async () => {
       await page.goto('/dns/providers');
       await waitForLoadingComplete(page);
+      await page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'DNS Management', level: 1 }).waitFor({
+        state: 'visible',
+        timeout: 10000,
+      });
+      await page.getByRole('button', { name: 'Add DNS Provider' }).waitFor({
+        state: 'visible',
+        timeout: 10000,
+      });
     });
 
     await test.step('Run axe accessibility scan', async () => {